The Pingry Record - February 2022 by The Pingry School

FOUNDED 1895 • THE NATION’S OLDEST COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL NEWSPAPER

Volume CXLVII — No. III

Wednesday, February 2, 2022

record.pingry.org

HAPPY NEW YEAR? Omicron Variant Comes to Pingry

SANIYA KAMAT (IV) As a new year begins, COVID-19 cases continue to increase. B.1.1.529, also known as the Omicron variant, seems to be the one to blame. On November 24, 2021, South Africa reported the identification of the mutated virus to the World Health Organization (WHO). It was first detected in specimens collected on November 11 in Botswana. Two weeks after detection, the WHO named the B.1.1.529 variant “Omicron” and classified it as a Variant of Concern (VOC). On November 30, the United States labeled Omicron a VOC, and a day later, on December 1, the first confirmed case of Omicron was identified in the United States. With Omicron on the rise, cases are skyrocketing at a far quicker rate than before. On January 10, there were a whopping 1,433,977 new cases in the United States—the highest number seen. Although the deaths do seem to be increasing with the new year, the number is minuscule compared to that of April of 2020. Additionally, Omicron is not the cause of most deaths, at least as of now. Most of the current deaths seem to be related to the Delta variant. While Omicron seems to be less fatal than the Delta variant,

especially for the unvaccinated, it remains a dangerous virus of which people must be aware. The most common symptoms seen in patients with Omicron are currently runny nose, headache, fatigue, sneezing, and sore throat. Pingry continues to take precautionary measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Regarding remote learning, the plan is to use it as little as possible. Other than the unexpected remote learning day on January 12 from the power failure, there have only been three fully remote days this year—all of which happened in succession after winter break. Although there is currently a hybrid option, the goal is to remain entirely in-person. “This has been our plan since last spring when we articulated our goal of Better Together because we’ve found that being in person is just better for everyone—academically, socially, and emotionally,” Assistant Head of School Dr. Delvin Dinkins said. Unless compelled to by health experts, Pingry is not planning to go fully virtual. Remote learning is supposed to be a temporary option, and the current plan is to avoid the Pingry Anywhere model in which students can opt for remote learning on a daily basis. Saliva testing is another precautionary measure that the

school has continued to take throughout these difficult times. The plan going forward is for testing to remain a part of the overall structure and possibly go back to testing twice a week. The school does want to acknowledge that with increasing numbers of students, faculty, and staff who are vaccinated, testing may become of lesser importance in the future. A significant change around campus is the removal of plexiglass. In the two years since COVID-19 first began, the knowledge surrounding the function of plexiglass has changed. Previously, evidence showed that physical barriers between people, such as plexiglass, served an essential purpose in not spreading the virus. Now, science has evolved to indicate that barriers can have the opposite effect by obstructing airflow depending on the space and facilitating the spread of COVID-19. The plexiglass would need to be designed in a particular manner to work efficiently. Unless the science changes again, Pingry plans to remain without plexiglass. Another significant change that can be seen on campus is the authorization of N95 and KN95 masks. Because of the higher rate at which Omicron spreads, there have recently been a lot more requests for permission to use

these masks—both for comfort and safety purposes. In a sense, Pingry masks were originally thought to be a type of passport that could function as a builtin way of identifying students within the building. Since the masks have two layers with a filter in between, they were thought to be relatively safe. However, with personal preferences and new research that has come to light, the administration has decided to allow students, faculty, and staff to wear N95 or KN95 masks if they so choose. COVID-19 has affected all parts of life, both at home and at school, but it has taken an exceptionally high toll on the performing arts. Returning to unmasked performances does not seem plausible in the near future. Instead, performances will be examined on a case-by-case basis. Drama Department Chair Mrs. Stephanie Romankow will go over the details of every performance to check if it is a viable idea. This applies to serenades, the musical, and ensemble concerts. Nothing has been postponed or canceled yet, and the administration is trying to approve as many performances as possible. “If we can do it safely, then we’re going to do it safely; if we can’t, then we can’t,” Dr. Dinkins said.

School dances are another part of student life that have been heavily impacted by COVID-19. Snowball has been postponed to a later date, and the emergence of additional information is being waited on before plans will be made to cancel or go forward with the dance. Interim Upper School Director Dr. Reid Cottingham and Form III/IV Dean of Student Life Mr. Robert Hoepfl are discussing the possibility of splitting the dance between grades—the same way Homecoming was last year. The administration is still trying to take one step at a time, but the plan remains to have a prom. In a way, Snowball will act as a “dress rehearsal” for Prom and give a sense of revising strategies. Lastly, the plans for Spring Intensives are still good to go. Many groups are planning to travel for educational purposes. Because most traveling groups stay local or regional and have an outdoor aspect, the plans for traveling Spring Intensives should proceed unless the COVID-19 cases take an extremely sharp turn. The pandemic has been tough on everyone, but it is vital to stay strong, be safe, and persevere. The Pingry community has come so far together already. It will make it through Omicron together as well.

Photo Credits: Google Images

THE PINGRY RECORD

SCHOOL NEWS FEBRUARY 2, 2022

Buttondowns Astonish at Annual Assembly

The Buttondowns

SANIYA KAMAT (IV) On November 23, the Buttondowns had their first school-wide assembly in two years. After months of hard work with Dr. Andrew Moore, the Buttondowns delivered an incredibly strong and wellreceived performance. “It was really amazing being able to perform live in Hauser in front of the school again,” President Ram Doraswamy (VI) said. Like they do every year,

the Buttondowns kicked off the assembly with their muchanticipated movie. However, unlike previous years, in which the movie has been the main focus of the assembly, the accentuation was placed on the singing this year. “First and foremost we are a singing group,” Doraswamy emphasized, “so I’m really happy we pulled off a great concert along with the movie.” The first song the a cappella group sang was “My Girl” by The Temptations, in which

Doraswamy was a soloist alongside Finn McGurn (VI). This easygoing R&B and soul song served as a great transition into the singing part of the assembly. In addition, Buttondowns Ronan McGurn (V), Matthew Parrish (V), and Mark Mason (IV) had the opportunity to show off their dance skills during the dance break. The next song was “Location” by Khalid, featuring Parrish and Vice President Samuel Henriques (VI) as soloists. The

Buttondowns then went on to sing “For the Longest Time” by Billy Joel, with solos sung by two underclassmen—Rahil Kakar (IV) and Damilare Shote (IV). “Stacy’s Mom” by Fountains of Wayne concluded the concert; for this early 2000’s hit song, the soloists were Vared Shmuler (V) and Aiden Blow (IV). The Buttondowns pulled off a remarkable assembly and many audience members thought that this year’s performance was the best out of the ones they

previously watched. “Even with masks,” Henriques said, “we think that we still gave off the same energy as before. Rahil was amazing on his solo.” Looking ahead, the Buttondowns have some exciting things planned for the future. “We have some insanely talented guys in the group,” Doraswamy said, “and I absolutely can’t wait to go back to normal serenades in February, as those are going to be really fun!”

An Update on the Head of School Search EVAN WEN (V) & LEON ZHOU (IV) For those that may not know, current Pingry Head of School Matt Levinson is departing the school at the conclusion of the 2021-2022 school year. As a result, Pingry has formed a Head of School search committee to find who will be Pingry’s 17th Head of School, co-chaired by 2 Pingry alumni, Lori Halivopoulos ‘78 P’ 23 and Stuart Lederman ’78. In addition, Pingry have contracted the services of Carney, Sandoe & Associates to augment the search commitee’s abilities and receive other perspectives on prospective candidates. The incoming Head of School may be able to take over this summer, but there is also the possibility of needing to wait until the summer of 2023 to assume their position, with an interim leader present for the 20222023 school year. The search committee has spent extensive time researching and looking at a plethora of applicants

with community feedback from online surveys and Zoom video sessions. Through this community involvement, many themes have emerged; the Pingry community desires a Head of School who is an experienced leader, embodies the school’s mission and values,

will continue Pingry’s academic excellence and its commitment to the Honor Code, and will help bring much needed security and stability to the school. The search committee has ultimately decided on three final candidates, each of whom are a great fit for the school. Each final candidate

has many years of experience in administration and educational roles in various independent schools. These three candidates all recently had the opportunity to visit the school for two full days and meet with student leaders, administration, faculty and staff, trustees, and alumni.

All candidates said that their meetings with student leaders were the highlight of their visit. Afterwards, those that met with the three final candidates were asked to provide their feedback and thoughts on each candidate. During their interviews, all three candidates expressed enthusiasm towards Pingry’s Honor Code and strong emphasis on morality and character, stressing the importance of a strong moral basis in an independent school like Pingry. Each additionally emphasized all of Pingry’s virtues – the campuses, academic rigor, strong community, and robust faculty. Likewise, the trio conveyed an interest in the wellbeing of Pingry students, each articulating the importance of preserving academic rigor while promoting an environment of mutual trust and encouragement. While specific details about each of the candidates cannot be released at this time, a more specific announcement can be expected some time in the future.

Photo Credits (Top to Bottom): Pingry Communications, Google Images

THE PINGRY RECORD

SCHOOL NEWS FEBRUARY 2, 2022

Winter Festival Returns

Winter Sports Records

Boys’ Squash: 6-2 Girls’ Squash: 5-2 Andrew Wong (VI) and Alex Wong (III) play during the Winter Festival

commenced. Student Body

Dorwaswamy (VI) conducted

President Giles Burnett (VI)

the Buttondowns and Lower

For many Pingry students, the

lifted Kindergartener Wynafred

Voices Glee Club in “A La Nanita

COVID-19 pandemic has been

Fahey to light the ceremonial

Nana’’, a Hispanic Christmas

a generational-defining ordeal.

candle to the cheers of the

song, with a violin solo from Alex

The experience of losing loved

audience and performers.

Wong (III). The String Orchestra

ones, being trapped inside, and

A wide variety of ensembles

played “Adagietto” and “Veni,

missing several coming-of-age

were represented at the Winter

Veni Emmanuel”, while the

milestones has been very hard on

Festival, including the String

Jazz Ensemble performed “A

many teenagers. Teen artists and

Orchestra, Symphonic Band, the

Big Band Christmas” and “The

musicians have been particularly

Balladeers and Buttondowns,

Dreidel Song”. The concert

affected by the pandemic, as

both Glee Clubs, Jazz Ensemble,

ended with Alivia Clark (VI)

COVID restrictions have caused

and Handbells. This year’s

conducting combined choruses

rehearsals and concerts to go

program began with the well-

in “Laudate Nomen Domini”,

virtual or be canceled. However,

known Christmas song “Deck

followed by a boisterous singing

on December 9, Upper School

the Halls”. Holiday numbers

of “Twelve Days of Christmas”

musicians and singers were able

by the combined ensembles

that was accompanied by a

to come together for the annual

followed, including “Ma’oz

colorful slideshow of artwork

Winter Festival concert. While

Taur” and “Joy to the World”.

depicting the gifts in the song.

there were some changes from

“Al Hanissim”, a song for

For students performing, this

the tradition this year (students

Hanukkah and Purim, arranged

concert was an opportunity to

from the Middle School and

by Mr.McAnally and featuring

share their art to families and

Short Hills Campus were not

violin soloist Andrew Wong (VI),

friends, something that was

able to participate), the tradition

was another audience favorite.

compromised over the stretch

of the “Candela Accenditur”

Buttondowns President Ram

of the pandemic. Upper Voices

SRIYA TALLAPRAGADA (IV)

Boys’ Basketball: 5-4 Boys’ Fencing: 1-3 Boys’ Ice Hockey: 3-13-1 Boys’ Swimming: 2-3-1 Girls’ Basketball: 5-7 Girls’ Fencing: 0-4 Girls’ Ice Hockey: 4-2-1 Girls’ Swimming: 2-3 Wrestling: 8-1

Glee Club member Sonia Nkansh (III), described it as being “a fun way to make memories with my friends”, while Helen Pols (III) thought it was great to “join with other ensembles across the community”. In his remarks, Head of School Mr. Levinson described the importance music has in bringing joy to the community. While not all traditions were able to stay the same this year, it is clear that the 2021 Winter Festival was an enjoyable experience to not only celebrate the start of the holiday festivities, but also bring members of the school

Volume CXLVII, No. III

Editors-in-Chief Andrew Wong Brian Li

Cartoon Editor Olivia Hung

Senior Assistant Editor Emily Shen

Copy Editors Saniya Kamat Sarah Gu Kate Marine Milenka Men Evan Wen

Layout Editor Kyra Li Assistant Editors Keira Chen Mirika Jambudi

Faculty Advisors Mrs. Meghan Finegan Dr. Megan Jones

together in time for the holidays. Student Body President Giles Burnett (VI) lifts Kindergartener Wynafred Fahey to light the ceremonial candle

Photo Credits (Top to Bottom): Pingry Communications

THE PINGRY RECORD

SCHOOL NEWS FEBRUARY 2, 2022

Winter Sports Update JIYA DESAI (III)

impacted for the most part. For

BAC.” Ice Hockey and Skiing, which

As the season continues, teams are

is a difficult challenge, and the girls

example, when athletes are in the

practice outside of Pingry, require

finding ways to stay motivated and

have been able to make it into an

With the winter sports season well

gyms, they are only required to wear

their athletes to leave campus during

keep working hard. The Girls’ Varsity

entertaining activity. As of now, some

underway, teams are training hard

masks when not actively practicing.

CP for transportation. Although

Squash team made competitions

members of the team have already

to prepare for a plethora of games

In the BAC, players must wear

there are different COVID-19

more enjoyable through a series of

won bagels. For the few remaining

and championships. Boys’ and Girls’

masks unless using the weight room.

guidelines for each sport, the overall

team bonding challenges and goals.

weeks of the season, other teams

Ice Hockey, Wrestling, Basketball,

Sports that do not use indoor spaces,

regulations are mostly similar

If a team member wins a match

can follow the example of Girls’

Fencing, Skiing, Squash, Swimming,

such as Winter Track, have different

depending on the environment

with a score of anything to zero,

Squash and create fun challenges

and Winter Track are being offered

safety guidelines. Siena Kotlewski

and schedule. The athletes have been

then that athlete will receive a bagel

to bring their team together and

this winter. Practices have been

(III) remarked, “We don’t have to

taking the safety measurements

as a gift from the team. Winning

win. Have fun and play hard!

modified to fit COVID-19 regulations,

wear masks during practice, but we do

seriously to prevent meets and

games or an entire match while

but sports have not been significantly

wear our masks when we go into the

games from being canceled.

keeping an opponent from scoring

Oliver Duryee (VI)

Club Spotlight: ECF Club JIYA DESAI (III)

movie nights. Extra help from fellow

to join the club, especially those

help support an incredible nonprofit

to join the club if interested in doing

classmates is always appreciated.

interested in helping to plan and

organization. The club’s first meeting

community service and gaining

Clubs have always been a major

With a variety of upcoming events,

host future activities. Being a part

was held on January 10, and a second

service hours. ECF Club is very

highlight of the academic year. No

the girls will need all hands on

of ECF Club is not only enjoyable,

one was held during the week of

excited to see many new faces at its

matter whether a student is a sneaker

deck. All students are welcome

but also satisfying, as students can

January 17. Students are encouraged

next meeting!

fan or a math fanatic, there’s a club for them. In these clubs, students bring their thoughts to life while educating others and spreading ideas. One of the newest clubs is the Emmanuel Cancer Foundation Club, or ECF Club for short. The Emmanuel Cancer Foundation is dedicated to helping New Jersey families who face the hardships of pediatric cancer. ECF supports its patients and their families by providing free professional in-home counseling, emergency financial assistance, material support, and much more. During the pandemic, ECF families have become particularly vulnerable. For this reason, Jiya Desai (III) founded ECF Club, with Emily Dicks (III) and Sasha Bauhs (III) as vice presidents. As of now, ECF Club has already hosted two fundraisers for the foundation. Donors were attracted by the delicious assortment of snacks and drinks available for sale, and the club was very pleased with how well the fundraisers went. “We want all the donators to know they have helped a great cause,” Dicks said. In the future, the club will host many more fundraisers, some food drives, a 5K race, and even

The ECF Club Fundraiser Photo Credits (Top to Bottom): Pingry Communications, Tyler Katt (III)

THE PINGRY RECORD

COMMENTARY FEBRUARY 2, 2022

Work Harder, Not Smarter SARINA LALIN (IV)

of ability, but simply because they can. The Pingry Honor Board reports that

Generation Z is often described as

cheating violations have increased

being individualistic, self-sufficient,

dramatically since the start of the

and highly motivated. The people

global pandemic. This suggests that

of this generation, loosely ranging

students grew accustomed to using the

from those born in 1997-2012, are

Internet during virtual learning and are

exceedingly connected and known for

having difficulty reverting back to pre-

their ability to mobilize for a variety of

pandemic school habits. In the short

causes. While older generations tend to

term, cheating may seem like the best

condemn members of Gen Z for their

solution, but no shortcut can replace

“addiction to technology” and “lack of

the benefits of the learning experience.

face-to-face interactions,” the truth is

Eventually, cheating the system will

that this generation has a uniqueness

catch up to students, leaving them

that no other generation can claim.

with inadequate study habits and

People in Gen Z are what we call “digital

a virtually meaningless education.

natives.” They were born into the world

As the Pingry community, we

of computers and have grown up under

need to eliminate cheating and

the influence of the Internet and other

invest more in our overall learning

modern technologies. Because they

experience. Just because the Internet

have never experienced life without

is easily accessible to us in this age

fast-paced communication or global

does not mean we should always

connectivity, those in Gen Z heavily

take advantage of it, especially when

rely on technology in their day-to-day

involving school-related assignments.

lives. The ability to find an answer to any question in a matter of seconds has certainly brought about many positive changes. However, the accessibility of it all has given rise to many issues facing academic dishonesty. The Internet makes summaries of readings and homework solutions more attainable than ever. With the click of a button, students can copy their homework into the search bar and find nearly every answer. Additionally, through social media and messaging, pictures of answers

can be passed around immediately

mindlessly regurgitate surface-level

not harder” lifestyle. Students who

after viewing a problem — all

facts which they have stolen. Another

proudly exclaim, “I found the answers

without a trace of effort. While these

example of this subversion of work can

online!” or “I used Google Translate”

methods eliminate the amount of

be seen when students copy answers

or “I looked up a summary” are all

time needed to do the work, they fail

from their peers. In doing so, they

prime examples of those sporting

to contribute to learning whatsoever.

undermine the morality of others and

this attitude. In the name of working

In compromising their work, students

leave without a true understanding of

“smarter,” these students take

end up hurting everyone around

the concept. Cheating clearly devalues

shortcuts to get their work done and,

them. There is a clear difference

the educational experience of everyone.

in the worst cases, cheat. By doing

between fully comprehending a

While many Pingry students

so, they sacrifice their education for

text and reading a summary found

hold themselves with the utmost

good grades. They lose integrity.

online. The latter takes away from

integrity, most of our student body

The root of this problem is laziness.

beneficial discussions as students

has adopted the “work smarter,

Students do not cheat because of a lack

Intellectual growth requires time and, most importantly, rigorous commitment. Perhaps students would not feel compelled to cheat if they started working on assignments earlier and attending more meetings with their teachers. After all, preparation can ease the stress that compels students to cheat. We came to Pingry to learn, and we should plan on doing exactly that. Don’t cheat. Take pride in everything you do, and work hard.

To Test or Not to Test? GRACE FERNICOLA (IV) Before the COVID-19 pandemic, almost all of the most selective colleges and universities in the U.S. required applicants to submit either SAT or ACT scores. In 2020, however, many testing dates were cancelled across the country due to the virus, and a large percentage of 2021 applicants were prevented from taking the tests at all. As a result, over the past year, most four-year undergraduate schools offered students the opportunity to apply test-optional for at least the 2021-22 admissions cycle, and many will consider making the change permanent. Good news for high school students, right? Well, not necessarily. A quick website search of a few top colleges’ policies contains such testoptional language: Applicants who choose not to submit test scores “will be given full and equal consideration” and “will not be disadvantaged in any way.” I heard the same speeches as I sat through information sessions with my sister when she toured colleges last fall. University of Richmond, for example, explains on its website that, “…test scores were one piece of a much larger puzzle. Take away that piece, and the rest of the puzzle is still there…There’s still plenty for us to draw upon in getting to know you.” But is it really true that colleges will look at each application “holistically” and only consider the parts of an application each student chooses to submit? According to Tim Lear, Pingry’s Assistant Head of School for Guidance and Student Life, although it is a “great message for colleges to say, ‘Whatever you want to do, we’re

going to look at you regardless,’ the reality is if you take one factor away, you put more attention or pressure on another factor… If you’re testoptional, how could you possibly be evaluated the same as a kid who submits high test scores? Because one student has eight pieces of supporting material, and another person only has seven or six, so how is that equal?” Colleges have long depended on standardized testing as a static variable in the application process. Such measures are important today because high schools vary significantly. A class like AP U.S. History or an “A” grade at Pingry is not necessarily the same as AP U.S. History or an “A” grade at a high school in all cities, states

and countries. Grade inflation has also become more prevalent in some schools, and although all applicants have the same essay prompts, students who can afford tutors have help writing those essays months before applications are due. Opponents of standardized testing have historically criticized testing requirements as benefiting students who can afford expensive test prep services and tutors and damaging those who cannot. However, that argument is not as accurate as it once may have been. “Test prep has caught up with technology,” said Mr. Lear, “so resources that are free, that are online, like Khan Academy, are incredible, and kids are making use of those.” Standardized tests

themselves have also improved with the times. The SAT, for example, which was written almost 100 years ago, has changed and evolved over the years. The writers have created more questions that are difficult to “coach” students on in advance and have removed questions that may not be reflective of all high school educations. Sample questions have been released for all students to access, and security measures have been improved to prevent cheating. Although colleges should continue to require standardized testing, that does not mean there is no room for improvement. Schools should better evaluate applicants by strengthening and equalizing other components of their applications. As

Mr. Lear suggested, colleges could have more spontaneous writing opportunities on which students cannot receive outside help and instead have to showcase their own writing abilities. Give students essay prompts without advance notice and with only a limited time period to respond or require short videos with the questions provided only after the video begins recording. All colleges should also require interviews, so admissions officers can learn more about applicants than just what is on paper. Students may have all “A” grades and high SAT scores but may not be able to communicate clearly or think well on their feet, skills that will be important as those same students interview for future jobs. Even when colleges do consider test scores, they should focus more on the individual scores by subject rather than on the “super score” number. An applicant who wants to be an English major, for example, may have scored a 35 (out of 36) on the ACT English and reading sections, but lower scores on the math and science parts, resulting in an overall score of only 30. But the high English and reading scores should be a much better prediction of her success in college as an English major than her composite score. As Mr. Lear put it, “You can’t major in four things in college, so I think it matters what you’re intending to major in, what you’re interested in…and I think if [colleges] just look at the composite, they’re kind of missing the big picture.” By making these changes, colleges can still require standardized testing while equalizing the playing field.

Photo Credits (Top to Bottom): Google Images, Milenka Men (V)

THE PINGRY RECORD

COMMENTARY FEBRUARY 2, 2022

COVID-19 Part 2, Omicron Edition SOPHIA ODUNSI (IV)

now is not the time to take this leap. America just reached an all-time

History has a tendency to repeat

record for the highest number of

itself. Most recently, we have seen

new COVID-19 cases recorded

this happen with the emergence of

in a day, and our community has

COVID-19—following the Spanish

positive cases in the double-digits.

Flu pandemic a hundred years

Of course, I want to experience a

ago. However, the repetition of

regular school year just as much as

history within the span of only

everyone—I have yet to go through

two years seems to be the reality

a normal year of high school. I am

in which we are now living.

not advocating for us to live in fear

If you haven’t noticed, these

forever and continue to lose critical

past few months have looked eerily

experiences because of COVID-19.

similar to March 2020. This thought

However, I believe that for us to go

first occurred to me a few weeks ago

back to our pre-pandemic normal,

when I went grocery shopping

we have to make the transition in a

with my dad and sister. We were

safe and well thought-out manner.

buying our regular groceries, which

I went home, I started scrolling

then remote learning, and

to grab a cup of tea. Entering

I agree that last year’s COVID-19

included eggs, bread, water, etc...

through my phone’s camera roll,

now the looming possibility of

Engel Dining Hall, I was yet again

policies were uncomfortable

Although the beginning of our

and found more similar pictures

a nationwide shutdown (as of

stunned by the noticeable lack of

and difficult to follow at some

trip went smoothly, we were soon

from March 2020. Taking a line

when this article was written).

plexiglass, and the realization of

times. However, plexiglass, mask-

stunned by a once-familiar sight:

from Olivia Rodrigo’s book,

It brought flashbacks to March

how big our cafeteria actually is.

wearing, hybrid-learning, and

empty grocery store shelves.

this felt like complete “deja vu”.

2020. The thing that was different,

Even though we are reaching a

contact tracing are key steps to

I took a picture and let my mom

My mom ventured out the

though, was the return to school.

new stage of the pandemic, with

prevent the spread of this virus and

know that it might take a bit longer

next day, going to multiple stores

On Monday, January 10, classes

a more transmissible variant,

keep our community safe. I may not

than expected to return from our

before officially finishing our

at Pingry resumed with a hybrid

the administration made the

be a COVID-19 expert or Anthony

errand. I was completely taken

shopping. Afterwards, we got an

format. However, since I could

decision to remove a large piece

Fauci, but I believe these factors

aback by the sight of empty shelves.

email from Pingry stating that we

not miss two weeks of practice,

of protection: plexiglass. While I

were essential in protecting our

While I understood the severity

would be remote once we returned

I double-masked up and chose

understand that the removal of

community and loved ones. I am

and rise of the Omicron variant,

to school after winter break.

to go in-person. When I arrived

plexiglass is a step in the right

optimistic for the future, and hope

I honestly didn’t believe that it

Olivia Rodrigo must have been

at school in the morning, I made

direction towards the normalcy

that following these steps will help

would be possible for us to go back

a psychic. First empty shelves,

a beeline towards the cafeteria

we lost two years ago, I believe that

us quickly return back to normal.

to a lockdown-era situation. Once

Life Without the Performing Arts SANIYA KAMAT (IV)

music started playing, waiting for

capture the essence of musical

audience, and it can be seen as a big

moment you step into the shoes

my cue. I remember panicking

theatre. Performing did not feel the

victory. Without the performing

of your character, you step into a

Following an eighteen-month

about the first note I had to sing,

same without frantic set changes,

arts, life feels boring. Of course,

whole new world. Theatre gives me

shutdown, Broadway opened its

and being unsure if I would get

hurried costume changes, and the

COVID-19 has impacted so much

a way to express myself, whether

doors for the first time since March

the pitch right, since no one was

wait backstage to go onstage. It did

more than the musical theatre,

it is through acting, singing, or

of 2020. After more than a year

singing before me. After the longest

not feel the same without singing

yet countless people remember

dancing. Nothing feels the same

without any productions, the news

22 seconds I had ever experienced,

my heart out to the audience

being crushed by its absence.

without performing as a Balladeer

caused performers all over the

I heard it—my cue. Grinning

during the opening number and

Whether it is belting out the

in front of a live audience, or

world (and theatre kids all over

with my hands on my hips, I

hearing the first thunderous

high notes of “Waving Through

singing all of our parts in the

Pingry, myself included) to rejoice.

popped up from behind the table.

round of applause while I stood

a Window” in Balladeers, or

musical together as an ensemble,

Over Thanksgiving break, I was

In that moment, I was the only

breathless on the stage. The

binge-listening to the Hamilton

or just hearing Mr. Winston’s voice

lucky to have the opportunity to see

one on the stage whom the audience

loss of the true feeling of the

soundtrack so many times that

through the hallways. COVID-19

could see. In that moment, we were

performing arts was devastating.

it is virtually the only thing that

may have temporarily stolen the

Aladdin, my first Broadway show in over two years. Words could

alone together—just me and the

Luckily, this year, Pingry will

shows up on my Spotify Wrapped,

performing arts from us, but they

not express how much I missed the

audience. In that moment, I fell in

be performing an in-person

musical theatre will always have a

are here to stay, and life feels

world of musical theatre. Seeing

love with musical theatre. I opened

production of Urinetown: the

special place in my heart. Theatre

all the better because of them.

a performance like that, in which

my mouth and the words seemed

Musical. Students are thrilled to be

provides an escape from the stress

the stage was filled with color

to come out of their own accord:

singing in masks in front of a live

of being a high school student. The

and everyone was giving each

“My mummy says I’m a miracle!”

dance number everything they

Nothing can be compared to

had, was simply breathtaking.

the rush of seeing the audience

As an avid lover of musicals, life

on opening night—bright lights

felt dull without the performing

shining directly at me and a

arts. Although Pingry still managed

smile so wide glued to my face

to perform Oklahoma! as a recorded

that my cheeks were numb

movie (which was definitely a

within minutes. Having played

major accomplishment), many

anything from a lead role to an

would agree that it was just not

ordinary ensemble member in

the same experience as performing

a variety of musicals, I can say

a live musical on the stage.

with confidence that everyone

The first musical I ever performed

always has a unique part to play.

in was Matilda. I was in seventh

Last year, students individually

grade and cast in the role of Eric.

recorded their voice parts in a

He was a little kid in the musical

studio for Oklahoma!, which

and definitely not the biggest part.

were later merged together. Each

Eric was, however, the very first

scene was recorded separately.

line in the show. So there I was,

Because of COVID-19, we did

crouched down behind the table

what we had to do, but recording

on opening night as the whimsical

in this manner could never fully

Grace Stowe (V) poses duing a performance of the Fall Play ARGONAUTIKA

Photo Credits (Top to Bottom): Google Images, Pingry Communications

THE PINGRY RECORD

COMMENTARY FEBRUARY 2, 2022

The Genrification of Secondhand Stores JULIA ENG (IV) Like many other Americans, I participated in Black Friday, the irresistible national sales event of crazed Walmart, Best Buy, and other retail shoppers. As much as I may poke fun at the wild determination of these customers, the large drops in price never fail to tempt me to indulge in dresses and sweaters I would otherwise never think to buy. After multiple purchases late on that Friday night that I had hoped would bring me a sense of fulfillment, I felt a sense of guilt wash over me; as someone who often preaches restraint when it comes to fashion, it felt hypocritical to take part in the overconsumption that I usually condemn. There is one way to shop that I usually feel guilt free about: online thrift shopping. Whether it’s Depop, Poshmark, or eBay, I’ve convinced myself that I’m making a conscious decision with my money. Despite this, I’ve come to wonder: is thrifting really as

ethical as it’s made out to be? Secondhand clothing saw its first surge in popularity during the 90s. The punk rock style championed by the likes of Courtney Love, Kurt Cobain, and Eddie Vedder on the Seattle grunge scene came directly from the dollar bins of the Salvation Army and Goodwill. The anti-high-fashion and anticapitalist sentiment translated to a specific grunge aesthetic full of flannels, thermal tops,

and stocking hats. Designers like Marc Jacobs replicated these styles (at noticeably higher prices) and they trickled down quickly to American department stores, until the grunge look, and ultimately thrifting itself, fell out of step with current trends. Despite being ostensibly antitrend, thrifting has come and gone from everyday style in its own slow but steady trend cycle. We seem to be in the middle of one of these swells of popularity,

and with the help of the internet, thrifting is more commonplace than ever. According to thredUp, an online second hand retailer, the number of millennial and Gen Z thrift store customers increased 46% in the past year. The stigma of secondhand shopping has nearly disappeared—in fact, some consider it cooler than buying items directly from the retailer. If you’ve ever stumbled across a massive thrift haul from a stylish creator on TikTok or YouTube, you’ll notice that the issue of overconsumption is not solved with secondhand shopping. In many cases, these mass-purchasers of Goodwill’s clothing will sell their reportedly “vintage” finds on Depop at marked up prices, often listing items for up to four times their original value. This is great if you’re willing to pay $45 for a 2000’s “baby tee” that’s really a size 4T toddler shirt, but harmful if you’re someone who relies on the lower prices offered at thrift stores. Companies like Goodwill have noticed the

thrifting trend and brought their prices up, making it difficult for members of the community to whom secondhand clothing is a necessity to find affordable alternatives. I’ll admit, I’ve bought from Depop resellers before, but I’m not sure if it’s something I should regret or not. While thrifting may seem to live outside the worlds of consumerism and trend cycles, its popularity hinges upon its status among the upper classes as a fun way to find cheap vintage gems. The dilemma forces consumers to ask: who is allowed to buy and sell, even when the items sold are secondhand? The widespread popularity of secondhand shopping, an industry projected to reach a value of 77 billion dollars by 2026, may be our way out of the not-so-transparent ethics and disastrous supply chains of ultra fast fashion, but has the potential to drag consumers into the entangled politics of class struggle and gentrification.

Rediscovering Environmental Sustainability at Pingry SRIYA TALLAPRAGADA ( III) “For a generation born into climate change, hope isn’t an option. Activism is.” - Daniel Propp Jamie Margolin founded the protest group Zero Hour in Seattle, Washington, when she was just 15 years old. Across the ocean, 15-year-old Greta Thurnberg started skipping school to protest climate action outside of the Swedish Parliament. Climate change seems to be at the forefront of a lot of teens’ minds, and for good reason — since 1880, the global temperature has risen by 1.9 degrees fahrenheit, with most of the warming happening in the past 35 years. While politicians are currently discussing environmental legislation, activists are drawing attention to an alternate way to combat climate change: the practice of sustainability. Sustainability is structured around changing people’s approach toward the environment to conserve natural resources. It has rapidly gained popularity across a variety of industries, encouraging industries such as fashion, food, and technology to be carbon neutral. As a school, Pingry has made several efforts to foster an environmentallyfriendly campus, which was

recognized by the official ENERGY STAR certification in 2011. But what are the various initiatives that Pingry maintains in promoting sustainability? Since January of 2012, the 1,400+ panel, 400 kilowatt solar system on the Basking Ridge campus roof has provided approximately 20 percent of the building’s power. The Head of School’s residence, also completed in 2012, is built from recycled materials, features solar technology, and has a 6,000-gallon storm water collection system for water recycling and irrigation. Unveiled in 2019, Pingry’s composter is used to repurpose food scraps into earth-friendly fertilizer for Pingry’s gardens. Finally, Pingry uses Noveda technology, a web-based energy

and water monitoring system, to analyze our carbon footprint. In addition to the stewardship towards campus resources, there is also an emphasis on outdoor education. Environmental art class allows students to interact with nature through creative activities, while the Big Blue Garden allows lower school students to have an “outdoor laboratory”. Other clubs, such as Green Group and Outing club, are dedicated towards making outdoor education and activities a big part of the Pingry experience. The newest initiative, introduced this school year, is Green Key. This group is application based and faculty run, and is mainly focused on improving sustainability in the Basking Ridge campus. I spoke with Ms. Tandon, the founder

of Green Key, about student engagement in environmental sustainability at Pingry. In terms of improving sustainability, Ms. Tandon believes that “we are doing some things now, but we have a long way to go.” As listed above, Pingry offers an abundance of opportunities to engage in sustainability––the key to utilizing this is through building awareness and a desire to change within the Pingry community. According to Ms. Tandon, most of the problems with sustainability stem from a lack of student engagement. As she says, “For example, I know there are rumors that we don’t recycle. The rumors are actually true, but the reason for that is that many people don’t properly separate their recycling. If all

we did, then we would be able to recycle it, but the people who aren’t paying attention or don’t understand the rules ruin the process for everyone.” Ms. Tandon also believes that the best way for students to improve their sustainable impact at Pingry is to be willing to do the work. An example she mentioned to this was the work at the composter: “A lot of students say they want to compost our food waste, they understand the importance of composting, but very few are willing to roll up their sleeves and actually load the composter.” She also mentioned the importance of spreading awareness, saying “If you are aware of an environmental issue, the next step is to educate those around you, and many students are shy about talking to their peers or to the administration about things they think could be improved. Just remember that your voices are powerful!” Sustainability within the community can be best achieved when every student cares about the various initiatives Pingry offers to help the environment. While students do not need to devote their youth to the cause like activists Jamie Margolin and Greta Thurnberg, something as small as correctly disposing items into the composter can make a huge difference and help Pingry further their sustainability efforts.

Photo Credits (Top to Bottom): Google Images

THE PINGRY RECORD

COMMENTARY FEBRUARY 2, 2022

A New Chapter

ANDREW WONG (VI)

I take back what I said about

overnight, and the process will be

forgetting last year. 2021 is worth

slow, and sometimes frustratingly

holding onto. Yes, 2022 will

painful. Sometimes we might

hopefully be a time where we see

want to quit. Sometimes it will

the end of the pandemic, and the

feel like we are all alone in facing

beginning of a new chapter for

our struggles, and other times we

the entire world. But as we sit on

may feel inundated with advice,

the cusp of one terrible chapter of

both good and bad. But we have to

our lives ending, and a new, better

keep pushing, with the memories

one, about to begin, we should not

of the past to inspire us to keep

forget the past chapter we have

going. Whether it be investing

all collectively experienced. We

in ourselves to make better

How do you remember a bad

are what we are today because of

memories in the future, upholding

chapter of your life? Oftentimes,

everything, good and bad, that

and improving meaningful

the answer we reach for first is to

has happened in the past year,

relationships, or kindling new

try and forget it all. It seems obvious

and we should be grateful for all

ones, finding those motivations will

at face value: no one wants to

of it. The good times have taught

make your journey so much easier.

remember their most embarrassing

us what to cherish and value in

I don’t have a crystal ball for

moments or their darkest ones. We

life. The bad times have taught

2022. I hope it will be a good year,

all like to live from one good time

us our shortcomings, and things

but there may be some bumpy

to the next good time, and gloss

that we can improve to be a better

roads ahead. There will be dreams

people. Both are equally important.

that we achieve, and others that

We all have dreams for 2022,

may fall by the wayside. We’ll

but they all run the risk of them

make some of our happiest core

becoming empty hope that will

memories this year, and make

disappear in due time if we lack

memories that we hope to forget.

a legitimate justification behind

It’s a whole new year, and we can

them. If we wish to achieve these

fill it with whatever we desire, and I

dreams, we should strive to find

sincerely hope that you can fill this

the good times and the bad times

new chapter in your story to your

of the past to hold onto to guide

heart’s desire. I’ll leave you off with

and fuel us. Remember the good

a little toast I gave on New Year’s,

times, and how happy they made

and I wish you, Dear Reader,

you. Remember the bad times,

all the best in this year, 2022.

over the uglier bits in between. So what should we do when it comes to remembering 2021, a year that half of Americans call the “worst year of their lives so far”? Like many, I was tempted at first to just forget the whole year and pretend it never happened. The continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic, political upheaval across the world, and the emergence of new economic and social crises, not to mention college applications, and the emotional rollercoaster that was December early decision results, were all things I wanted to be left in 2021, never again to be remembered. 2022 was going to be a clean

slate, the start of a new chapter

and take a bold jump into 2022, and

in my life - an epic chapter

make it the best year of our lives.

filled with endless possibilities,

But unfulfilled dreams and hopes

unhindered by the past.

for a new year can only go on for so

I took on this task with relish.

long. Inevitably the conversation

With an hour left until the end of

turned to reminiscing upon the

2021, I found myself talking with

year we had just lived through.

a friend about our hopes for the

At first, it was mostly rattling

new year. We made plans for what

off the bad things that had all

to do after getting into college,

happened in 2021. Yet, amid the

came up with ideas for an amazing

pile of negatives, there were small

summer, places we wanted to visit,

victories and points of positivity

things we longed to do, and other

that we could hold onto. Memories

personal goals of our own. Was it

of joy when good news did arrive.

all wishful thinking? Perhaps. But

Old and new relationships that

it reflected our hope for starting a

proved an invaluable source of

new chapter from scratch. This was

support through thick and thin.

our magnum opus: a plan on how

Life lessons from our mistakes

to leave behind everything in 2021

and embarrassing moments.

and what you have learned from them. Use these memories to guide

“Here’s to health. Here’s to

you to take small steps: strive to

happiness. Here’s to the year

be a better version of yourself

ahead, the best one one yet.”

today than you were yesterday. A great chapter cannot be written

Exploring the Discomfort Zone

EVAN XIE (IV)

exercising, and gaming with my friends. As the pandemic continued

During the opening stages of the

on, this routine largely remained

COVID-19 pandemic, I found myself

the same, only seeing slight

scrambling to adapt to the sudden

variations. Every day for over a

and drastic changes. From online

year, I followed a repetitive––

school to social isolation, every

and monotonous––routine of

facet of my life seemed to change

school, sports, and social media.

in a matter of days. However,

In my opinion, such a routine was

over a period of weeks, I found

largely beneficial, as I performed

myself settling into a comfortable

well in the academic, athletic, and

routine of attending online classes,

social spheres of life. Undoubtedly,

I found my own “comfort zone,”

stability of the known over the

and skepticism vanished, with

a steady routine allowing

unpredictability of the unknown.

feelings of excitement and

me to pass my days with ease.

The same applied to my old

anticipation taking their place.

However, this comfort zone

passions that the pandemic made

Looking back on these two

grew increasingly confining the

impossible to fulfill. For nine years,

experiences, I now recognize the

further I settled into it. I frequently

I had dedicated countless hours to

immense benefits of leaving one’s

found myself shying away from

hockey, the sport I loved, training

comfort zone. Not only was I able to

opportunities to leave my

every day and traveling across

discover a new passion and reignite

boundaries and try something new.

the country for games. When the

an old one, but I also got a much-

Last summer, I had the chance

pandemic forced rinks to shut

needed refresh during monotonous

to learn how to surf for the first

down for months, hockey became

pandemic days. After I faced the

time. I had always been awed by

a distant part of my life and fell

discomfort of the unknown and

the sport––namely the ability to

out of my comfort zone. Thus, I

forced myself to start something

masterfully ride waves––and my

had no intention of hitting the ice

new, I regained the familiar

interest only grew after surfing

even when rinks finally reopened.

feelings of comfort and ease.

aired in the Summer Olympics.

Ultimately, thanks to the

I’m sure that my experience

Yet, I repeatedly refused to

persuasion and coaxing of my

of confining myself to my

attend surfing lessons because

parents, I did attend surf lessons

comfort zone is not unique, as

the comfort of my couch and TV

and return to the ice, albeit very

the COVID-19 pandemic has

were more appealing. Although

reluctantly. Both times, however,

impacted many people in a similar

my TV provided a minimal sense

I was all grins and smiles after

way. Thus, I urge everyone to

of satisfaction (as I had already

finishing without a trace of regret

take a second and reflect on their

exhausted every interesting show),

in my body. For the first time

current comfort zone, both what it

it had become a staple in my

since I had confined myself to my

encompasses and how confining it

routine; I could depend on it for

comfort zone, I felt reinvigorated

is. I urge everyone to seize the next

instant gratification. On the other

and refreshed, instead of feeling

opportunity to leave their comfort

hand, the air of the unknown

merely content and satisfied.

zone, step into the unknown, and

surrounding surf lessons left me

Moreover, as soon as I broke

face their discomfort. All it takes

skeptical and uncomfortable, as

the barrier of simply beginning

is one step to immerse oneself in

I had no idea what to expect:

each activity––getting into the

a new experience and discover all

would I enjoy the experience or

ocean or stepping onto the ice––I

that one is missing out on in the

would it be a complete waste of

realized that I had made the right

confines of their comfort zone.

my time? In the end, I chose the

decision. All feelings of reluctance

Photo Credits (Top to Bottom): Keira Chen (IV), Google Images

THE PINGRY RECORD

COMMENTARY FEBRUARY 2, 2022

Stop and Smell the Roses ALEX WONG (III)

the end goal. Enter the respite — the time to appreciate the little things

Papers were strewn across the table.

in your everyday life that make it

Yellow and green highlighter darted

bearable, or the time to take a break

through each paper, emphasizing a

from working so hard and just, for

certain fact or phrase. In the margins

lack of a better word, chill. Our

were short annotations, providing

lives are hectic, chaotic, and filled

fragments of information. This

with so many moving parts. While

was me in my element, my peak

there is always an end goal that

productive state. It was the best way

we strive for, enjoying the journey

to study, harnessing the stress and

is equally, if not more, important.

anxiety towards pouring over sheets

With all the hustle and bustle in

upon sheets of information. It was

our lives and all the things that we

paramount to keep striving forward,

need to get done, it is important to

to be a better student, to earn a better

slow down and notice the things

grade, to keep finding new challenges.

that you never have noticed before.

I came into my freshman year

Notice how your friend greets you

with this mentality. I thought that

every morning, without failure, with

as long as I kept striving to become

a wide smile. Notice the way you feel

better, I would be set for the year.

when you are around certain people,

All I needed to do was stay in the

or how amazing of an essay you

so-called “grind” of high school

just wrote. Each and every person

work. However, I soon realized

in our community has something

that “the grind” was not all that

had to undertake in order to climb

While it is necessary to work hard

a mountain. “The grind” can feel

to appreciate and someone who

defined the high school experience.

the mountain. You use “the grind”

to keep climbing the mountain,

endless, and the drive to complete and

appreciates them. As Pingry high

I like to think of the high school

in order to climb higher and higher,

it is also important to take a look

submit work of high quality dwindles

school students, we must strive for

experience as climbing a mountain.

but sometimes you can slip and fall

around — to stop and smell the roses.

as the grind trudges on. And just like

excellence, but we must also be sure

You start at the bottom, as an eager

if you look back. While useful in

In high school, there is no need

slipping and falling on a mountain,

to enjoy the journey of doing so. At

and wide-eyed freshman, excited to

achieving the end goal, “the grind”

to climb a tall mountain and reach

receiving a bad result on an exam

the end of the day, we only have one

start a brand new journey. The goal

does not encourage enjoying the

a summit. However, the increasing

or getting into an argument with a

high school experience. We might

is to reach the summit, at the end

experience of climbing the mountain.

amount of work and extracurriculars

friend can demoralize you. Even so,

as well enjoy it the best we can.

of senior year, where you can soak

It does not allow you to see the

that we do as high school students

you keep moving forward with the

in the fruit of all the hard work you

scenery improve as you climb higher.

can sometimes feel like climbing

grind since you still need to achieve

The End of Standardized Testing

BRIAN LI (VI) What’s the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of the college application process? The Common App, an infinite number of repetitive and mind-numbing essays, and the feeling of being trapped in an endless purgatory all appear, yes. Yet, what is perhaps the single most recognizable and well-known aspect of the admissions experience is the dreaded SAT. Thinking back to my standardized test days, I vividly remember waking up at 7 AM on a freezing winter morning, getting ready for the day while still half-asleep, and triplechecking that I had brought all of my necessary materials. I remember driving to an unfamiliar school and desperately looking for the right building, all while trying to hype myself up for the occasion. These memories of the SAT are viscerally ingrained in my mind. So when I came across the news two days ago that the College Board was making the SAT an online exam starting in 2024, I couldn’t believe my eyes. How could they fundamentally change one of the cornerstones of college admissions? For those

of you who have not heard the announcement, the new completelydigital SAT will be two hours instead of three hours, allowing for more time per question, contain shorter reading passages with one question for each, and allow calculators for the entire Mathematics section, essentially merging the two current math sections. Students, who will still take the SAT at testing centers, will be allowed to choose between a laptop or tablet to test on, using either their own or those that the school provides. Though these changes may sound forward-thinking, the truth is we’re all tired of staring at computer screens for days at a time, especially with the advent of remote learning over the past two years. When we attend school in-person, we’re glued to either our computers or phones during both class and flex/CP; after school, we return home to spend hours doing homework in front of our

laptops. If we’re remote, the entire day takes place virtually, residing within the ever-present trifecta of Zoom, Schoology, and Google Docs. Sure, from our experience with online school and digital test taking, we’ve all become much more comfortable with programs such as College Board’s digital AP exam application, Padlet, and Extempore, but that doesn’t mean we must continue this trend. Take a look at the 2020 AP exams, filled with a deluge of technical difficulties. All exams were online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, taken on the platform College Board created specifically for the occasion, and administered at the same time around the world. Of course, not everything went to plan, and the first week of testing was plagued with students clicking the submit button but the software failing to actually submit, and international test takers having to take once-a-year exams at

ungodly hours in the early morning, not to mention equity issues revolving around those that did not have access to a quiet testing environment or a stable internet connection. To alleviate these issues, College Board offered makeup testing times and created the option to send an email containing responses if the submit button didn’t work, but not before thousands of students had already taken exams that failed to function properly, despite the organization’s insistence that only a tiny percentage of test takers encountered errors. In my opinion, these digital AP exams and online tests in general are a hindrance to students. With how pervasive screen fatigue is in our lives now and the ever-increasing pace of digitalization, I fear that our entire lives may eventually be consumed by our laptops and devices. I don’t see a stopping point to the trend of tests and other assignments going

digital, worsening the pandemic of perpetually being online. If unchecked, screen fatigue will continue to grow at a rapid pace, further harming students’ mental and physical health. Moreover, how can we trust the College Board, or any other organizations, to create and implement a reliable testing application that functions properly and doesn’t cause additional stress to students? The AP exams over the past two years are testament to the difficulties digital testing comes with. I also suspect that physical tests that involve pens and paper are more popular than digital exams. I know I prefer the former. There’s something lacking in online tests that’s intangible; I can’t frantically flip between pages or scribble notes all over the margins. I feel restricted and boxed in when having to click a button to move to the next question, and I can’t quickly scan over the problems to see how much time I can allot for each. I can’t truly put my mindset into a testing mood when I can’t physically feel the paper, though I know how absurd that sounds. How can we accept the College Board directly harming our testing experience and changing what doesn’t need to be changed? Despite the tired proclamations that it’s the “future” and it’s inevitable, digital testing is something that I wholeheartedly oppose. The benefits nowhere nearly outweigh the drawbacks, and to be honest, this shift to online feels like a final grasp to keep the SAT relevant for college admissions. Maybe what we think is the “future” isn’t always better.

Photo Credits (Top to Bottom): Google Images, Brian Li (VI)

THE PINGRY RECORD

COLUMNS FEBRUARY 2, 2022

Stress During the Winter JINGJING LUO (III)

focused, calm, thoughtful, and can think in a clearer way. Resting,

Once winter break is upon

after all, gives us more energy to

us, everything seems to stop: no

continue our festivities. There

more essays, no projects, and

is a Chinese idiom that says

even no tests. This break we’ve

“sharpening an axe doesn’t delay

been dreaming about is close to

the task of chopping wood”. This

becoming a reality, and I’m sure

means that resting and recharging

we are all looking forward to it.

is p r e p ar in g us t o b e mo r e

Then suddenly, a new wave of

energized and effective in our tasks.

activities pounces on us. Vacations,

Another great way to rest is just

celebrations, and events come

to sleep. I’m sure many students

filing in. Family gatherings

are sleep-deprived (I definitely

and parties line our schedule,

am!) during the school year. Finally

all anticipating our attendance.

there is an opportunity to get

We make so many commitments

enough sleep, so why not take

we feel pressured to fulfill. Even

advantage of it? We should know

though these activities are usually

that even though our celebrations

considered fun and exciting, they

will be fun, it is okay to feel

can become too much. As more

overwhelmed. It’s always good to

and more commitments pile up, we start to feel too tired of all of it. During the holidays, there are new kinds of responsibilities we have to take on. We are expected to plan parties, which causes a multitude of stresses, from picking a location to choosing a color for the invitations. We think about how much we will spend on decorations and what we’ll do at the party. Furthermore, we are expected to attend everyone else’s parties. When two events collide, we get conflicted once more. Which one

to choose? What do I tell the

where the symptoms of seasonal

and hang out with friends.

person whose party I didn’t attend?

affective disorder (SAD) show

Sometimes though, we need to

We are expected to be joyful and

up. This may sound unbelievable

just stop and relax for a while. I

happy at all our family gatherings

at first, but is very real. SAD is a

would personally love to spend

and dinners. But sometimes, we

type of anxiety, depression, and

a day reading a book, watching a

just aren’t feeling that joyful.

stress that layers onto each other

movie, or going biking with my

There’s an expectation that we

during select times of the year.

family. I could bake a cake, or

should be having a perfect time

In colder and darker months, we

paint a picture, or spend some

with family and friends throughout

tend to feel more depressed and

time knitting. By taking time to

this entire season, but that is

choose to stay inside. Seasonal

do these small activities we tend

not the reality. There are times

affective disorder added with the

to ignore, we can help get rid

when

feeling

busy holiday activities can cause

of all the stress that builds up

happy, and days we can’t

us to feel overwhelmed at times.

from school, extracurriculars,

live up to that expectation.

Of course, we should

and our busy holiday schedule.

aren’t

On top of that, the winter time is

attend

the

parties

stop, and recharge for a day, then continue on with the partying. This idea of finding balance between fun events and rest is key to having an enjoyable holiday. When we celebrate holidays, we light festive candles. But sometimes, we have to trim the candle wick so the candle burns evenly, burns brighter, and burns for longer. There is a balance between the fire in the candle and the trimmed wick, just like there’s a balance between the celebrations and relaxation during the winter.

By resting, we also become more

Holiday Season as a Non Religious Person JULIA ENG (IV)

worshiping the fate I wished would have occurred. I knew I was talking

When I was four years old, my

to the walls. But I felt as long as I

grandmother whispered to me as I

voiced my biggest desires to the

crawled into bed that it was time to

universe, someone out there would

pray. She began softly with, “God,

pity me and give me the crumbs

thank you for the moon and the

of whatever tallness, smallness,

stars…” and ended with, “We know

health, and confidence had not

you watch over us eternally.” I

been taken and occupied on earth.

refused to shower for a week out of

While I remain ambivalent about

fear for my privacy until I resolved

religion and don’t identify with a

that, as long as I ignored religion,

specific faith, I realize now that my

I could not be touched by it.

younger self had been hypocritical

My first time visiting a place of

and narrow-minded. I was what I

worship with a religious intent was

used to criticize about religion, and I

at ten, when I attended a Southern-

was selfish about what I wished for.

Baptist Megachurch in Phoenix

The closest I had come to the type

for Christmas Mass. My parents

of selfless prayer I was taught by

had not informed my brother and

my grandmother was the instance

me properly of the customs of

in which I wrote to Santa Claus

church-going. We were the two

for food to feed hungry children.

voices croaking delayed “amens,”

And while I still have criticisms

and the two heads bobbing up and down off-beat in prayer out of the few thousand that had come to honor the birth of Christ. It was one of the first times I felt out of place for a trait I could theoretically alter. I felt the same way when attending Shabbat at sleepaway camp, when reading Bible stories at Korean lessons on Saturdays, and when knitting blankets for cancer patients while the members of my Girl Scout troop discussed their first Communion. I ended up developing a slight disdain for religion, especially

during the holidays. Our family

it was. I do remember visiting the

(or crafted, depending on your

put up a Christmas tree, baked

Sainte-Chappelle in Paris when

beliefs) story that serves as a solid

cookies, gave gifts, and moved on.

I was twelve, where a Chinese

thread holding the world’s tapestry

To me, Christmas was a routine

couple was illegally taking wedding

together. And suddenly, I felt like I

and a result of a fable for good

photos in front of stained glass

was missing out on the opportunity

behavior, not a religious tradition.

windows depicting Genesis. The

to celebrate, and ultimately to

I didn’t like it when I saw bumper

sun filtered through Adam and

live for, something that was not

stickers saying “PUT THE CHRIST

Eve and danced across the bride’s

self-centered and navel-gazing.

BACK IN CHRISTMAS” or when

dress when the groom spun her,

Humans have a predisposition

my relatives told me I needed

and I decided at that moment that

to idolatry and worship. Even if

to find the “Christian way” or

perhaps the notion of religion was

I had not been praying to God,

when the girls at sleepaway camp

not so terrible. Because despite

each time I wished at night that

attempted to proselytize me.

the people who hide hatred behind

I’d be taller and have a smaller

I don’t know when my thinking

religion and the people who use

nose, that my grandfather did not

changed or when I decided that

it to create division, religion is

have cancer, or that I would not

religion was not as bad as I thought

an intricate and beautifully told

be so nervous all the time, I was

about the fear-mongering and discrimination that religion can often bring about, I’ve decided that people who allow religion to inform their morals have often done so more logically than how I informed mine as a child, which was through Anne of Green Gables and The Sound of Music. We all learn from a young age what is right and what is wrong from the stories and moral examples we grow up with. And if the characters in the stories you read as a child happen to care about religion (and you do too), there’s no shame in that.

Photo Credits (Top to Bottom): Google Images

THE PINGRY RECORD

COLUMNS FEBRUARY 2, 2022

Examining Marvel Movies ADAM ELAYAN (IV) Warning: This article contains spoilers for Spider Man: No Way Home. Like many of you, I went to see Spider-Man: No Way Home when it came out prior to Winter Break. As a huge Marvel fan, I was incredibly excited to see it. I think I might have actually jumped for joy when Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield made their appearances halfway through the movie. Of all the movies I have watched, solely Marvel movies have made me feel this way. The only other two times I have been as ecstatic in a movie theater were during the previous two Avengers movies. Seeing all of the heroes and plotlines I read about in comic books as a child being portrayed so faithfully on the big screen felt like living a dream. To me, these movies are like theme parks — filled with adventures, thrills, and amazing spectacles. Everything about them is meant to produce a feeling of pure bliss for the viewer. However, for some reason, a lot of people are unable to let Marvel movies be the fun action movies that they are. They must make Marvel movies out to be cinematic masterpieces, and in doing so, they disregard the

difference between something likable and something that is truly distinguishable. Don’t get me wrong — I do believe that Marvel movies are very good. Nonetheless, none come close to being the flawless films that some people would have you believe they are. In general, Marvel movies a r e f u e l e d b y a charismatic hero with a tragic b a c k s t o r y and a villain with clear motivations. The villain is normally either someone the hero knows personally, a dark mirror of the hero, or a cosmic threat. The

writing tends to be upbeat despite the terrible danger the characters are facing. The plots usually follow the same trend. The hero is beaten by the villain, causing them learn a lesson about themselves or the world which they can then use to become stronger in some way and beat the villain at the end. The movie is normally centered around themes surrounding friendship, resiliency, teamwork, responsibility, and love. The points above are neither criticisms of Marvel nor their style of making films; they are simply

Word in the Halls

qualities that can be attributed to good movies. That is why it perplexes me to see people claiming Spider-Man: No Way Home to be a 10/10 movie. The sheer number of people who hold this opinion of both No Way Home and other Marvel movies in general suggests either a general lack of movies watched or very low standards. For a movie to be 10/10, it must be perfect. The pacing must leave for no boring moments, the plot must be enthralling the whole way through, the characters and themes must be layered and complex, the

cinematography must lend itself to the story and produce beautiful or meaningful shots, and the writing must fully realize the potential of the story and its characters. No Marvel movie fits these criteria. Very few other movies do, and to say that any Marvel movie does would be disingenuous. I am not here to rain on anyone’s parade; I am aiming to take an honest look at our society and how we tend to overrate things just because we like them. For example, with Fortnite’s recent resurgence in popularity, a lot of people have been calling it the greatest video game of all time. In its prime, I would certainly call it the most fun I have ever had playing a video game, but I can not sincerely call it the greatest knowing that there are games out there with movie-level stories, graphics nearly indistinguishable from reality, and completely balanced mechanics. Spider-Man: No Way Home was a very good movie, and I loved it. Captain America: Civil War was a very good movie, and I loved it. No claims of perfection or “GOAT status” — just honest reviews. All of us, as fans, need to learn the difference between things we enjoy and things that are truly exceptional.

Why Bread?

Do you think it makes sense for teachers to pack in so much work in the weeks between Thanksgiving and Winter Break? Cayden Barrison (V) “No because if all the teachers are giving work at the same time, it overloads the students”

Morgan Dwyer (III) “It kind of does make sense, but it’s just annoying to deal with”

MELINDA XU (III)

scientific reason as to why everyone Home-baked bread. How has

feels a need to immediately make

it taken until 2021 to become

homemade bread. First of all, the

so popular? This simple yet

entire process is oddly calming

fantastic phenomenon exploded in

to many people. All five senses

popularity during quarantine. With

are activated when baking bread.

the pandemic slowly subsiding

From watching the dough rise to

however, the trend of home-baked

smelling the fresh bread come out

bread still remains with us, and it’s

of the oven, the movement our body

never been easier! A quick Google

is engaging in distracts the mind,

search for bread recipes, and you

allowing us to clear our heads,

can find thousands of recipes for

relax, and concentrate. According

bread of all types from sourdough

to food scientists at University

to brioche to rye. With just flour,

College Dublin’s Institute of Food

water, yeast, oil, salt, and sugar,

and Health, the things we sense

you can make your very own loaf

while baking bread triggers the

of bread in no time!

pleasure centers in the brain,

Thanks to the pandemic, homemade bread making has

Stephanie Ticas (V) “Not really because it can get really stressful having so much work at once, and I feel like a lot of teachers are just trying to pack in the rest of their units”

Julia Saksena (VI) “I think — this is a little unfair to teachers — but it’s not surprising that there are only three weeks between breaks, so I think they should maybe plan better. At the same time, I understand that sometimes plans can get messed up”

However, there is also certainly a

allowing the serene feeling to spread throughout our bodies.

been brought to a whole new

Although there are so many

level by being a medium for self

reasons as to why people have

expression. It’s easy to do! Take a

decided to make homemade bread,

sharp and wet knife or a bread lame

at the end of the day, the simple yet

and carve out designs on the top of

reasonable answer is: just because.

your loaf to your heart’s desire. On

We want to try something new, to

all social media platforms, cooking

put our time to good use, and at

influencers post content of bread

the end of the day, make something

with fancy designs on top. Flowers,

delicious to share with our friends

patterns, logos—anything you can

and family. So if you need a nice

think of has probably been drawn

pick-me-up this winter, go and

onto a loaf of bread.

make yourself a loaf of freshly

Clearly, fresh-baked bread is made by many because they need

baked bread. Your mind (and stomach) will thank you.

a way to cope with the boredom they feel while quarantining.

Photo Credits (Top to Bottom): Google Images, Ella Bundenbender (V)

THE PINGRY RECORD

COLUMNS FEBRUARY 2, 2022

Designer Babies and The

Harry Potter’s 20th Anniversary: Return

Morality of Science

to Hogwarts OLIVIA BUVANOVA (III)

SRIYA TALLAPRAGADA

ethical. This could have a lot

(III)

of negative effects, including a potential gender imbalance

Believe it or not, it has been 20 years since the making of Harry Potter! The original Hogwarts wizarding trio is reuniting to recount their adventures from two decades ago. “Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts” will air on New Year’s Day, as announced on November 16th. Reuniting the cast of Harry Potter for the first time in almost ten years has brought much excitement amongst both the cast and its fans. Emma Watson, who starred as the well-known Hermione from the Harry Potter movies, captioned an Instagram post, “Harry Potter was my home, my family, my world and Hermione (still is) my favorite

Almost every decision in

in the world. One highly

our lives is determined by

publicized case took place in

one’s personal morality and

1996, in which Monique and

the thought behind it. As

Scott Collins wanted to have a

students, choices to act with

girl but instead had two boys.

academic and social integrity

They then used genetic selection

are oftentimes based upon the

to make their third baby a girl.

Honor Code, something that

The Collins’ situation was

has become a fundamental

the first case that started to

part of the Pingry education

incite criticism. Debate also

experience. Our choice to act

focuses on the accessibility

with integrity on a daily basis

of the technology by those of

can prepare us to solve ethical

high socioeconomic status;

problems across a variety of

because of the high price of

fields in the real world. One of

the technology, this could be

the recent debates in science

yet another barrier separating

focuses on embryonic stem-cell

the rich and the poor.

research, the study of which

However, other bioethicists

poses a moral dilemma between

argue that parents have a

the duty to prevent or alleviate

right to decide their child’s

suffering and the duty to

fate, and believe that it could

respect the value of human life.

be used as a force of market

With advances in stem-

regulation. Others suggest

cell research comes a whole

that parents already possess

host of questions regarding the concept of “designer

a high degree of control over had beaten me to the passenger’s their baby’s lives in the form seat and that I’d be subjected to

babies.” A designer baby is a

of environmental choices. For whatever music he decided to play

genetically-engineered embryo with specifically selected traits to optimize health and

JULIA ENG (IV)

video of Nirvana performing in

Initially, I was heartbroken for

1993, in which Kurt Cobain threw

the car a few minutes late, which

Scott—it must have been extremely

his guitar to the ground mid-song

meant that my eighth-grade brother

difficult to hear that a performance

to stop a man in the crowd from

held to create joy and bring people

groping a young female fan. Fans

together had become so deadly.

cheered in both cases, knowing

But it’s impossible to deny

that their safety was valued

example, a parent who loves for the next half hour—Drake,

that Scott is partially—if not

by the artists they supported.

art will raise their child around Kanye West, Playboi Carti, then Travis Scott. I winced, unable to

mainly—responsible for the

Scott has issued two apologies:

chaos. He has a noted history

one on his Instagram, which has

separate Scott’s name and music

of encouraging concertgoers

since been memed for his perceived

from the chaos that took place on

to jump barriers and charge

insincerity and his incessant

security, and has been arrested

forehead rubbing, and one on

twice for doing so at Lollapalooza

Twitter, in which he stated that he

of IVF (in vitro fertilization night, 50,000 attendees at the is a practice where eggs are Astroworld Festival began to rush

and in Rogers, Arkansas. This,

was cooperating with the Houston

combined with Scott’s lack of

Police Department in their

fertilized in a petri dish) will help towards the stage. The crowd confer the ability to preselect continued to compress and move

awareness of the situation, makes

investigation into the “the tragic

art, thus exposing them to

using bioengineering can help November 5 in Houston, Texas. with infertility. The practice At approximately 9 p.m. that

child the best existence possible, starting at the genetic level. Critics argue that the desire

embryos before implantation.

for designer babies could get

Progress in the medical

out of hand. Abuse of genetic

was instantly reminded of a famous

boy who attended the festival.

characteristics of a developing

from parents’ wish to give their

ten deaths, including a 9-year-old

On November 5, 2021, I got into

that passion. Additionally,

modifying babies mostly comes

on transgender issues, resulted in much commotion from the LGBTQ+ community. Following Rowling’s comments, several actors from the Potter films spoke out in defense of trans people and condemned Rowling’s actions. Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley) spoke out during several interviews with different newspapers, Watson shared her support for the LGBTQ+ community on Twitter, and Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) went so far as writing an essay of his own. Needless to say, although Rowling’s comments divided the fanbase and alienated many readers as a result, there is still a massive Harry Potter fanbase eagerly anticipating the release of a long-awaited reunion.

The Tragedy of Travis Scott’s Astrofest

fitness or to introduce desired human. This idea of genetically

fictional character of all time.” A whopping 1.3 billion viewings of the Harry Potter films have been estimated since its television debut, according to forbes.com. With the approaching release of the reunion, fans are as eager as ever—research predicts tens of millions of views are to be expected for this upcoming release. Interestingly enough, “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling, who has been criticized for her anti-trans comments, is not scheduled to appear in the special. Many believe that she was not asked to participate altogether. In recent years, Rowling has been quite a subject of controversy. Her problematic opinions on Twitter, as well as her personal essay

it difficult to sympathize with him.

loss of life” and “what happened at

closer to the stage when the show

While Scott and his lawyers can

Astroworld Festival.” In neither of

started, and concertgoers near

claim that the crowd was just that

these does he admit responsibility

the barricade began to struggle to

big or the stage lights too bright

for any harm done. While these

to see fans, other artists have

statements were obviously heavily

variation can cause an utter

field has been so rapid that stay on their feet. An Apple Music conversations around potential livestream showed that fans began

proven that they hold themselves

vetted by lawyers in order to

lack of genetic diversity. Stem

ethical and societal issues are to panic and showed signs of

accountable for fan safety. During

remove blame from Scott, he is

cells were sought to reduce

scrambling to catch up. As distress within minutes. While Scott

the week following the festival,

still being sued for over 750 million

genetic flaws and lower the

we graduate from Pingry and briefly paused the show three times

likelihood of contracting a

move into these fields, it is

disease. However, there have

important to understand the

been debates over whether

different perspectives that

using genetic modification

exist around innovation.

to choose a baby’s gender is

a video of the band Linkin Park

dollars. Many are still calling for

to alert medical staff of individuals

was reposted by many of my peers

Scott to be held accountable for his

in need, he failed to respond to

on Instagram. The clip showed

passivity and lack of action—after

the dangerous situation unfolding

the performers stopping their

all, Scott’s career is futile without

right before him appropriately.

show to encourage fans to help

his devoted fans and their support.

The events at Astroworld resulted

one another get on their feet after

in approximately 325 injuries and

noticing some had fallen over. I

Photo Credits (Top to Bottom): Google Images

THE PINGRY RECORD

COLUMNS FEBRUARY 2, 2022

Standoff in the East: the Russo-Ukrainian Confrontation ALEX WONG (III)

Ukraine is slapping a series of sanctions on Moscow.

On January 14, 2022,

As of January 2022, Russia

Pentagon Press Secretary John

appears undeterred and is still

Kirby revealed to the American

posturing to invade Ukraine.

public that the Russian

In the wider context of the

Federation had intentions to

world, a Russian invasion

launch a false flag operation

of Ukraine will prove to be

to prompt an invasion of

another example of America’s

Ukraine. The heightening of

waning influence over the

tensions along the Russo-

world. In the summer of

Ukrainian border is a result

2021, a poorly executed

of the illegal annexation of

exit from Afghanistan led

Crimea, increased military

to a Taliban takeover of

exercises on both sides,

the country and thousands

sanctions on Russian officials,

fleeing the country. America’s

and Russian separatists in

geopolitical opponents, such

the Ukrainian regions of

as Russia and China, have

Donetsk and Luhansk. This conflict, while half a world away from the United States of America, has the potential to have global consequences. Since 2014, Eastern Ukraine has been plagued by civil unrest, separatist insurgencies, and Russian interference. Although given to Ukraine after the fall of the Soviet Union, the Ukrainian

provinces of Luhansk and

Donetsk People’s Republic.

concerned the Ukrainian

Donetsk and the Ukrainian

Russia also used the unrest in

authorities in Kyiv and the

autonomous region of Crimea

Eastern Ukraine to illegally

Western World. President

have a majority ethnic Russian

occupy and annex Crimea.

Volodymyr Zelensky of

population. In 2014, Russian

In 2021, in response to

Ukraine has repeatedly

separatist militias (trained

a NATO military exercise,

voiced his concerns about a

by the Russian military)

the Russian Armed Forces,

Russian invasion to Western

in Luhansk and Donetsk

or the FSB, began sending

leaders, including to President

took over the regions and

more Russian forces to the

Joe Biden. However, the

proclaimed the creation of the

Russo-Ukrainian border.

most the West has done

Luhansk People’s Republic and

This military build-up has

to prevent an invasion of

since been emboldened by an absence of American support in order to posture attacks against Ukraine and Taiwan respectively. As Ukrainian sovereignty hangs in the balance, the world waits to see if America will come to its ally’s aid, or if it will leave Ukraine to the mercy of Russia once again.

The Science Behind the Omicron Variant SRIYA TALLAPRAGADA

healthcare system, everything

(III)

indicates that it is milder than the Delta variant.” These

On November 26, 2021, the

findings echo data by the

World Health Organization

UK Health Security Agency

alerted the world about

(UKHSA), which showed

Omicron, a SARS-CoV-2

an individual with Omicron

variant that has since changed

was estimated to be between

how we view the pandemic.

31% and 45% less likely to

This fast-spreading virus

be hospitalized compared

comes along with dozens of

to someone with Delta.

mutations and now accounts

While more research is

for around 58% of the

being conducted into this

country’s reported COVID-19

puzzling variant, the top three

cases. The bewildering

Omicron variant symptoms

speed at which the Omicron

to look out for are a runny

variant has spread has left

nose, stuffy nose, and sore

researchers worldwide

throat. These symptoms are

racing to better understand

people.“It depends on all

human immune systems.

evasiveness rather than

different from traditional

its global trajectory.

sorts of biological processes,”

A study conducted by

an inherent increase in

COVID-19 symptoms, which

The most prominent

explains Jeffrey Shaman, an

researchers at the University

the basic transmissibility,”

include cough, fatigue, and

aspect of Omicron is its

infectious disease modeler

of Copenhagen, Statistics

the researchers said.

congestion. On the optimistic

transmissibility. Omicron is

at Columbia University’s

Denmark, and Statens Serum

It is important to note that,

side, behavior can curb

two to three times as likely

Mailman School of Public

Institut (SSI) suggests the

while more transmissible,

transmission, if not completely

to spread as the Delta variant

Health. Shaman questions,

virus is able to spread

the study also found that

stopping it. Measures

and 3.2 times as likely to

“Does it bind more easily to

more rapidly because it is

Omicron seemed to induce

such as social distancing,

cause a household infection

receptors in people’s lungs?

better at evading immunity

less severe disease. SSI’s

wearing a mask properly,

as Delta was. This data simply

Do you shed it more efficiently

obtained from vaccines. “Our

technical director, Tyra

and getting vaccinated

represents the virus’s ability to

and spew more of it out so you

findings confirm that the

Grove Krause, reported to

still can make a difference.

replicate within human cells,

can infect more people?”

rapid spread of the Omicron

local Danish media that

as well as to move between

Something else that defines

[variant] primarily can be

“while Omicron will still be

Omicron is its ability to evade

ascribed to the immune

able to put pressure on our Photo Credits (Top to Bottom): Google Images

THE PINGRY RECORD

COLUMNS FEBRUARY 2, 2022

Is Spider-Man: No Way Home Worth the Hype?

Spotify Wrapped, Unwrapped MILENKA MEN (V) When December rolls around, as an avid Spotify user, I’m always anticipating who might be my top artist of the year or what might be my top song played of the year. Last year, I was placed in the top 0.05% of Taylor Swift listeners (while I expect a few snickers at this, I loyally stand at her side), and this year, I couldn’t wait for that extra “zero” squished in for an improved “0.005%”. So the afternoon of December 1, 2021, I waited patiently through the swirling graphics and cringe TikTok references, just to learn I had only reached the top 0.5% of Taylor Swift listeners in 2021—I had dropped down a tier! Trust me, this is somewhat of a core memory; thus, I realized just how effective of a marketing ploy Spotify Wrapped is. Spotify praises users for spending time on their platform: the more minutes, the more special you are. Somehow, Spotify Wrapped has weaseled its way into a prime category of my identity. However, the more pressing issue is how Spotify Wrapped exacerbates

SARINA LALIN (IV)

world was not watching his every move.

to trust my judgment, you can definitely

As the story unfolds, viewers get to

trust the numbers. Spider-Man: No

experience one of the greatest Marvel

Way Home is a worldwide favorite,

movies of all time—if not the best.

earning 1.6 billion dollars globally in

Spider-Man: No Way Home has it all:

ticket sales. It is the eighth highest-

After two hundred million dollars and

heart, action, humor, and powerful

grossing film at the global box office,

over three years in the making, the new

nostalgia. The movie in itself is a mini-

even though it has only been in theaters

Marvel movie Spider-Man: No Way

adventure. I sat on the edge of my

for a little over a month and movie ticket

Home finally premiered on December

seat for the entirety of the two-hour-

purchases have been at an all-time low.

17, 2021. The film picks up moments

and-forty-eight-minute film, going

It has a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes

after the end of Spider-Man: Far from

through a rollercoaster of emotions.

and recently broke the record for

Home, in which Mysterio reveals Spider-

It has easily become one of my top

having the highest audience rating of

Man’s secret identity to the whole world.

five favorite movies of all time, and I

any major motion picture. The movie

This bombshell revelation upends Peter

can honestly say that I enjoyed every

has received rave reviews from highly-

Parker’s life and forever changes the

second of it. Although Spider-Man: No

acclaimed critics, so it is clear that I am

paths of his best friends’ lives, too. Peter,

Way Home definitely holds a special

not the one who thinks so highly of it.

who is unable to separate his “normal”

place in my heart as someone who

To conclude, definitely see Spider-

life from his duties as the friendly

has watched nearly every movie in the

Man: No Way Home on the big screen.

neighborhood Spider-Man, begins

Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU),

This movie is the perfect end to both

receiving backlash as people question

the film is enjoyable for anyone. Old,

Tom Holland’s Spider-Man trilogy and

the truth behind Mysterio’s accusatory

young, new, and returning Marvel fans

the modern Spider-Man era. Get ready

words. When the drama starts to affect

alike will genuinely have a good time

to laugh, cry, and leave the movie theater

the lives of his loved ones, Peter seeks

watching it. It has a great balance of

thinking about the film for countless

out Dr. Strange for help, hoping to

romance, comedy, and action that will

hours. Oh, and stick around for the

go back to a time in which Peter was

more than likely please any viewer.

post-credits scenes. You won’t regret it.

only known as Peter, and the entire

Though my bias may make you hesitant

Note: This article does not contain spoilers for No Way Home.

toxicity surrounding the sphere of “popularity.” If something is deemed as popular, there is always a cloud of followers willing to explain why everyone else’s music taste is simply inferior. Not everyone has the same music taste, but Spotify facilitates this transformation of fun self-expression into a competition. We now judge each other or ourselves because of our music tastes. Everyone should be able to listen to what they want. This is not a competition. Indulge yourself. Spotify Wrapped is a film reel of the past year, so use it to tell your story. Your individual story. Recall hyping yourself up before the first soccer game of the year and jamming out to Olivia Rodrigo. If there’s anything I’ve gleaned from my Spotify Wrapped 2021, I was looking for safety. Disney movies and “Fireflies” by Owl City topped my 2021 list as I retreated to my childhood. Perhaps after 2020, I was tired of not knowing what was to come. Let’s let music return to being a free form of expression. I want to hear your story.

Holiday Foods: From Hot Pot to Rice Balls KEIRA CHEN (IV) From Christmas to Hanukkah to Kwanzaa to New Years, winter is a time full of holidays. The festive season brings gift exchanges, annual traditions, (sometimes dreaded) family gatherings… but most of all, good food. Holiday foods vary from household to household, but popular foods include gingerbread cookies, hearty stews, pies, and potato pancakes. The possibilities are endless. Although my family did not celebrate Christmas, we did have a delicious Christmas dinner with my grandparents: hot pot. Easy to set up, hot pot is our go-to meal for many special occasions. All we have to do is buy ingredients to cook in our pot and dinner is ready. For Christmas, we had a motley assortment of foods, including shrimp, leafy greens, sweet potato, mushrooms, fish tofu, silken tofu, and

cellophane noodles — also known as glass noodles. On the side, we had fried dumplings, soy sauce, braised beef, and duck wings. To cook the food, we simply dropped the item of choice into the soup boiling in the pot and waited until it was ready. This could take just a few seconds (like for the greens), or it could take several minutes (like for the noodles). (Here’s a tip: the thinner the noodles are, the faster they cook. But beware! Thin noodles also break easily.) Once the food is ready, you can ladle it out of the pot and into your own bowl. Noodles are especially slippery, so it sometimes takes a while to scoop them out of the pot, but it is worth it in the end. My personal favorites for hot pot are fish tofu, sliced rice cakes, cellophane noodles, and mini sausages. Fast forward a bit to New Year’s: as I watched the ball drop on TV from the living room couch, I enjoyed a bowl of homemade glutinous rice balls (tang yuan) with sweet fermented

rice (jiang mi jiu). Bought from the store, jiang mi jiu–sometimes known as jiu niang–comes in a jar with both rice and the liquid itself inside; the flavor is slightly sour but mostly sweet, often eaten hot with rice balls as a dessert. My mom made the rice balls without filling, but the

ones you find in restaurants or in the frozen aisles of Asian supermarkets are often filled with red bean paste, black sesame paste, or peanut paste– black sesame is my favorite, though peanut is a close second. If you ever get a chance to try rice balls, with or without filling, I highly recommend

them; their delicious flavor and texture is sure to have you coming back for more. The holiday season may be over, but 2022 is just beginning. Who knows what new foods you might try this year?

Photo Credits (Top to Bottom): Google Images

THE PINGRY RECORD

COLUMNS FEBRUARY 2, 2022

Tallapragada Talks Tech SRIYA TALLAPRAGADA (III)

The Owners Strike Again: MLB’s December 1st Lockout ADAM ELAYAN (IV) Beginning December 1, the MLB began its first work stoppage since the infamous player strike of 1994 that caused the cancellation of that year’s postseason. It is unlikely that this work stoppage, a lockout by the owners, will cause that kind of damage to the upcoming season, but it is never good when the players and owners reach such an impasse. The lockout has already proven to be of consequence, as many free agents namely Max Scherzer (Mets), Corey Seager (Rangers), and Javier Baez (Tigers) - rushed to sign their contracts before the start of the lockout halted all contract negotiations indefinitely. Free agency, however, is not the only aspect of the offseason that will end up being affected, should the lockout continue for more than a short time. Important proceedings such as the Rule 5 Draft, the Winter Meetings, spring training, and even the regular season are all vulnerable

to postponement or cancellation if the players and owners cannot come to an agreement on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. The last CBA, signed in 2016, has grown more and more unpopular with players since its inception, and hostility has been growing between the two sides during that time. Players are not happy that the owners are allowed to exploit them from the start of their careers, and owners are not willing to sacrifice their bottom lines for the appeasement of the players or the fans. This greed has increasingly become a source of animosity from the MLB Players Association as owners have continued to exploit young stars through use of service time manipulation. Service time manipulation is a process where an organization postponing a player’s free agency for one year by not promoting them to the majors when they are ready at the start of a season. This keeps the player from fulfilling his required 6 years of MLB service time before becoming a free agent,

thus delaying his pay day and allowing his team to benefit from another year of play without having to pay “free agency money.” This has been done to stars such as Kris Bryant, Josh Donaldson, and George Springer, and it will continue to happen if there is no plan put in place for its regulation. Service time manipulation is just one of the many grievances that both sides have with each other, but even with all these seemingly insurmountable divisions, it is highly unlikely that any regular season games will be missed due to the lockout. Out of the 5 most recent work stoppages to take place in MLB, the only ones to cut into regular season or postseason action have been the player strikes of 1981 and 1994-95. Though the owners have given themselves leverage by locking out this time, the players always have been and always will be the most important part of the game, so it is almost inevitable that the compromises made will favor the stipulations of the MLBPA, as has been true in all past work stoppages.

Black Friday, a term almost synonymous with holiday shopping, has become internationally recognized as stores offering highly promoted sales at discounted prices. It often brings to mind visuals of frantic shoppers rushing into stores in search of sales, exactly a day after being thankful for what they have. However, this year’s Black Friday went a bit differently. Some of the changes can reflect shopping trends and challenges facing retailers. According to data from Sensomatic Solutions, traffic at retail stores on Black Friday dropped 28.3% compared to 2019 levels. This could be hinting at a general trend towards shoppers choosing to shop earlier, a concept coined as the Christmas Creep. The two main reasons shoppers are spreading out their holiday purchases are ongoing concerns about COVID-19 and worries about the supply chain. Furthermore, Black Friday online spending fell from 2020 levels. It marked the first time ever that growth reversed from the prior year. Online retailers received $8.9 billion in sales on Black Friday, down from the record of $9 billion last year, according to data from Adobe Analytics.

So what were some of the hot products that people bought? According to the analysts at Cowen and Co., denim was a big hit, with loose fitting jeans fueling sales. Other major buys included going-out apparel and comfortable athleisure clothes. Black Friday wasn’t just filled with sales—the major corporation Amazon found itself making national headlines due to a series of protests. Activists were calling for better pay and workplace improvements and for the company to be more proactive on issues such as the climate crisis. For example, BBC and Reuters reported that the environmental group Extinction Rebellion blocked the entrances to 13 Amazon distribution centers in the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands. Make Amazon Pay, a coalition of labor organizations, called for a labor strike by Amazon employees. Using data analysis and these statistics, we can understand the trends behind Black Friday and shoppers’ spending habits. These last two years may reflect a shift in how people choose to shop during the holiday season or may simply be an anomaly due to COVID-19 and the current supply chain issues. Only time will reveal to us the future of holiday shopping.

Mirika’s Reading Range MIRIKA JAMBUDI (V)

life worth living in the first place.

the future are also very conducive to

Sky is a great read. In the novel,

This book resonated with me, raising

the story, lending more dimension

Aluma Banks has always yearned

With December ushering in the

a lot of thought-provoking questions

to the character arcs we see. The

to fly a pegasus as part of the king’s

holiday season and a long-awaited

about life and the role we each play.

Bone Witch is definitely one of my

Empyrean Cavalry. However, as she is

winter break, it’s the perfect time to

I highly recommend reading it,

favorite reads of 2021. It will be sure

thrust into the competition to be part

stock up on some books to read. Here

though it does deal with some mental

to keep you on the edge of your seat!

of the king’s cavalry, Alumna learns

are a few lighthearted books that will

health triggers, such as suicide.

The final book you should add to

of the current king’s secrets about

surely put you into the holiday spirit!

your collection is A Light in the Sky,

the neighboring enemy kingdom—

The first book on my list is The

by Shina Reynolds, which came out

Laithlann. The book is a giant mixture

Midnight Library by Matt Haig. One

earlier this month! As a massive fan

of sci-fi, fantasy, and even steampunk,

of the most anticipated reads of the

of Red Queen, by Victoria Aveyard,

which I find to be quite interesting.

year, it certainly did not disappoint

and The Scorpio Races, by Maggie

The world-building is well-executed,

me. Somewhere out beyond the edge

Steifvater, I think A Light in the

filled with many vivid descriptions.

of the universe there is a library that

Additionally, the storyline is very

contains an infinite number of books,

well-written. The pacing is never too

each one the story of another reality.

quite rare, and therefore, ostracized

One tells the story of your life’s

from the magical community. Tea

current reality, along with another

needs to hide her abilities from the

book for the lives you could have lived

villagers and the other witches. After

if you had made a different choice at

accidentally resurrecting her brother,

any point in your life. It follows the

she sets out on a journey filled with

life of Nora Seed, who is faced with

adventure, betrayal, and friendship.

the decision of changing her life for a new one, such as following a different

Another must-read is The Bone

career, undoing old breakups, and

Witch, by Rin Chupeco. The Bone

chasing different dreams. Ultimately,

Witch follows the adventures of Tea,

she must search within herself as

a teenager who learns that she has the

she travels through the Midnight

power to raise people from the dead.

Library to truly decide what makes

However, bone witches like Tea are

Even though the story is a bit slower than most books I’ve read, Chupeco’s intricate world-building is quite fun to explore. The novel is filled with rich details that fit well with the flow of the book. The dual perspectives of Tea from the past and Tea from

fast or slow, allowing readers to learn fully about Alumna and her world, as well as the world she discovers. There is also a light romance love triangle, and I appreciate that it isn’t the central focus. I think the book is geared towards younger Young Adult readers, but is still worth reading for older teenagers because of the comprehensive world-building

and character development. I hope that you get the chance to pick up any of these books to get into the holiday spirit! See you next year!

Photo Credits (Top to Bottom): Google Images

THE PINGRY RECORD

COMMENTARY FEBRUARY 2, 2022

2022 Resolutions “Pet a llama” “Read one book every week” “Get at least 6 hours of sleep each night” “Initiate more conversations” “Understand math” “Backpack across Europe” “Go to bed before 1am at least 3 times a week” “Successfully raise a plant” “Eat less takeout, learn how to cook” “Bring my friends more chocolate” “Be a better listener”

“Stop fearing upperclassmen”

“Stop sleeping in class”

“Get over my fear of bugs”

“Start healthy relationships”

“Find the unexpected good things in life”

“Start an etsy shop”

“Road trip across America”

“Spend more time outdoors”

“Talk to underclassmen”

“Play with my dog more”

“Ask him out to Snowball”

“Visit three national parks”

“Get in the YOLO mindset”

“Try a new fruit”

“Volunteer more”

“Bribe an underclassmen to do my homework”

“Learn to forgive”

“Don’t get caught on Pingry Nappers”

“Smile more”

“Simp less and sleep more”

“Workout more” “Eat better” “Drink more water” “Visit Bora Bora” “Talk less, listen more” “Stop worrying” “Stay in touch with people who matter” “Stop complaining” “Get up when my alarm goes off” “Be honest” “Learn golf”

HITS AND MISSES HITS

MISSES

MS. DUNBAR IS BACK

OMICRON

2022

REMOTE LEARNING

SNOW

EMPTY STORE

NFL PLAYOFFS

SHELVES

SENIORITIS

METAVERSE

NO MORE PLEXI SPIDERMAN

KIM KARDASHIAN AND PETE DAVIDSON

HALO: INFINITE

KANYE

CAREER DAY

NO SNOWDAYS SNOWBALL POSTPONED

“Spend more time with my family” “Avoid another Friday detention” “Learn to embroider”

“Cut out toxic people” “Clean my room and donate old clothes”

“Hike more”

“Build a sandcastle” “Clean up my desk”

“Nail every Wordle”

“Stop procrastinating”

“Get over her”

“Shower at least once every two weeks” “Bribe an upperclassmen to do my homework” “See a therapist” “Bond with my cat”

Good Things of 2021 THE PINGRY RECORD EDITORIAL TEAM 2021 was a year filled with many ups and downs, but here, we look back on 2021 in a positive lens, with a list of good things that happened this past year to remind you that the year was more half-full than half-empty

January - 2020 was finally over February - $GME went to the moon

July - The US won the most gold medals in the Tokyo Olympics August - Kanye released Donda

March - 63rd Grammy Awards. September - Back to school? Taylor Swift won Album of the Met Gala. Billie Eilish. Holiday Year. Billie Eilish won Record of Barbie Dress. the Year October - Halloween wasn’t April - NASA landed cancelled! Perseverance on Mars November - Adele dropped May - Olivia Rodrigo released 30, Taylor Swift dropped Red Sour (Taylor’s Version) June - Pingry purchased Pottersville

December - Tiger Woods returned! Christmas.